Sometimes grief hits us like a tidal wave. Well… sometimes that is how it feels to me because sometimes it just hits us out of nowhere. This post is all about moving on from that grief. Sometimes all we can do is to just keep on living and moving forward without that person. It could be losing someone literally or figuratively. We have to come to realize that the world just keeps moving forward, which brings me to my first quote of this post. “The world moves on with or without you.” I know that sounds harsh, but it is the honest truth. Whether we realize it or not the world just keeps moving and turning. Sometimes we cannot stop for anything, including grief.
Sometimes it hurts because you thought that person was going to be around for the long haul, but something happened and all of a sudden you are left to move and walk forward without them. In some way you have to let go of them. That brings me to my next quote. “There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.” That is the sad truth about life. It is not all perfect, but we still have to move forward with our lives. Sometimes that person is still right alongside you even if they are not physically here with you and sometimes it is okay to walk alone. They would want you to keep moving forward, even if it was without them.
I know that this post is all over the place, but I want to conclude my talking a little bit about my poem that goes along with the theme of this post. The below poem is inspired by the following quote (which turns out to be a part of a poem written by Pablo Neruda). He says, “My feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping but I shall go on living.” The line is very similar to a line from his poem “The Dead Woman.” I submitted this poem for a competition I took part in on DUP called “From Our Differences In Life And Death Is Born Love Eternal” and it won first place. There was a video (click here to view it) that inspired this poem too. I hope that you all enjoy it!
Steps Forward (Without You)
It is hard imaging you not being here
Right now, but for both of us I have to
Walk towards a better tomorrow, one
Foot in front of the other like you have
Always taught me. You always steer
Me, not in the direction where you
Were laid to rest, but where the sun
Still shines the brightest. Your valve
And battery decided to give up, but
I will keep living. I will keep thriving if
It means I can still remember you and
Your smiles. I never knew it was love
Until I saw your eyes and in this rut
You held me as the edges of the cliff
Became sharper. As we held hands
That night I knew it was the dove
Who delivered its message. “Keep
Moving forward darling. I know that
You are tired and you do not want
To move on without me, but I am still
Here in the breath you inhale deeply
Into your lungs. I am still in the flat
Curve of your laughter. Ghosts haunt
You, but I still keep you safe. The thrill
And yell escaping your mouth shows
That I am alongside you on this roller
Coaster ride. Do not lose those west
Coast vibes I fell in love with when we
First met or easy smiles as time slows
Down for our magical kiss. The solar
Eclipse got nothing on the stars winking
At us night after night. We were sinking
Our feet into the soft earth, getting lost
In the steady heartbeat of the world.”
We were programmed, but at what cost?
To feel nothing, but I felt it as you curled
Up against my chest looking at me like
I had all the answers and the cure. I did
Not know that it was your last strike
Of the game. Life came to a quick skid
And halt after your last breath, but I just
Knew that to honor your memory I had
To keep pushing on. You laid the trust
And happiness in me so I am not sad.